This year is the 65th anniversary of the publication of the diary of Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl who perished in the Holocaust during World War II. It is also the 70th anniversary of The Diary of a Young Girl being translated into English. Otto Frank was given the diary in 1945 by Miep Gies, a family friend who aided them when they were in hiding from the Germans.

Annelies “Anne” Marie Frank has become one of the most identifiable victims of the unspeakable crimes that occurred during the war. Her words are timeless as they continue to resonate with young adults when they read them today. While her family was struggling to survive as a Jewish family in hiding in Amsterdam, Anne was going through her adolescence. She eloquently wrote about her daily frustrations, relationships, hopes, and dreams.

There have been many books written about Anne Frank as well. A Friend Called Anne (2004) by Jacqueline Van Maarsen and Memories of Anne Frank (1997) by Alison Leslie Gold are two remembrances by Anne’s childhood friends. Anne Frank, Beyond the Diary by Ruud van der Rol and Rian Verhoeven contains photographs, maps, and other historical information that is at the Anne Frank Museum in Amsterdam.

Anne’s story is brought to life for our intermediate readers in Josephine Poole’s picture book biography, Anne Frank (2005). Angela Barrett’s illustrations reflect the poignancy of the story.

Menno Metselaar and Ruud van der Rol chose photographs from the archives of the Anne Frank House for their book, Anne Frank: Her Life in Words and Pictures (2009).